Die Kunst der richtigen Distanz

_ Inspiration for designers, architects, and observers
_ Interjection by Bazon Brock on why criticism is useful
_ 50 architectural critiques from 50 years on buildings and projects by gmp
_ Architectural photographs by Marcus Bredt as visual architectural criticism

Changes, upheavals, even shifts in discourse have shaped architecture in recent decades—like a seismograph, building culture reflects the rapid and profound upheavals in modern societies. The last 50 years have become a rapid succession of architectural concepts and theories, whose sometimes convoluted paths have been accompanied by architectural criticism as a medium for communicating architecture.

This publication examines and traces the changes that have taken place in this regard and what they mean for critics and architects, the media, and the public. “The Art of the Right Distance” documents the Hamburg-based architectural firm von Gerkan, Marg and Partners (gmp) as a consistent example. The publication focuses on current architectural photographs of 50 works from 50 years as contemporary visual architectural criticism, juxtaposed with articles from print media from the respective period of origin.

“Two layers of time that together raise questions about the spatial and temporal distance needed to adequately grasp architecture.”
Michael Kuhn.